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Open letter to Air France-KLM representatives

Dear representatives of Air France,

We have been very disappointed to learn that your company transports animals intended for use in biomedical research. By participating in this cruel and unethical trade you bring shame on yourselves and your company, as well as causing considerable suffering to the animals whom you transport. They are forced to endure extremely stressful journeys, which can last up to 60 hours, and, as we are sure that you are aware, many of them die during transportation.

Animals in research laboratories are subjected to highly invasive experiments, which cause them immense pain and suffering, yet, as no species of animal is the biological model of another, the biological reaction of an animal to an unspecified substance reveals nothing about the consequences it will have on a human being. We invite you to judge this for yourself: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4811626.stm

It is simply impossible to accurately recreate the physiological conditions within the human body in a non-human animal. For example, a human neuro-degenerative disease, largely influenced by our lifestyle and the hundreds of toxic substances present in our blood, simply cannot be recreated in any other species of animal. The fact of the matter is that animal experimentation is a scientific fraud that is being rejected by a growing number of researchers within the scientific community due to its obvious flaws and unreliability.

As an association we promote an ethical and reliable approach to scientific research, so it is for this reason that we ask that you immediately cease the transportation of animals to laboratories. The vast majority of airline companies now refuse to participate in this unethical business, and we ask that you now join with them by changing your company policy not to transport animals to research laboratories.

We don't believe that either our supporters, nor many of your customers, would approve of your participation in this barbaric trade. Yet should you not change your position on this matter before March 21st, 2011, we will then be obliged to inform them of your conduct and invite them to no longer use your services.

We await a favourable answer on your part, and we remain at your disposal for any possible clarifications that you may require regarding this matter.